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zephyrwind69
New User
Jun 11, 2002, 11:16 PM
Post #1 of 2
(1995 views)
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News Manager Layout Updates/Delegated Security Request
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I'm looking to utilize news manager as a client-updateable tool for template based websites. In essence, create a website for a company and allow self-service website updates.
Application Problems
In reviewing the tool it's great! Also, it seems to be one of the better commercially available ones and certainly seems to do the job well. However, my only point of complaint after brief review is that there are no layout controls for inserted pics on a per-article basis, only on a global basis. Several prospective clients (5+) have stated that they're interested in being able to control the picture layout on a per-article basis. As it stands the only option for changing this setting is global. I haven't reviewed the code but it shouldn't be that hard. While you're at it,  since the layout options (top, mid, bottom) are simple HTML tags right? can't additional ones be added for more detailed layout control (e.g. top left, top right, mid left, etc.)?
Other Areas for Improvement
Another nice thing to be added would be a more delegated security model. The addition of a reviewer role, or a post for review role are something else that my clients are requesting. Specifically clients could submit website updates to a secretary, have her/him add it through the admin interface, but have the secretary's account limited to posting it for review (e.g. by default her/his account lets her save the info typed in the forms but the checkbox for hide from public view is always checked and grayed out for his/her use). A separate, and complimentary content admin (e.g. she/he can accept and modify news but he can't modify site settings) is also being requested. With these two roles you could implement the real-world scenario of the secretary typing up a news update, a content manager reviewing the changes before posting, and then the content manager clears the invisible setting and makes it public. If this was written unclearly...sorry it's just kinda a flow of thought but it's food for thought  .
And what else are people looking for, everyone don't be shy
Zephyrwind69
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Dave
Staff
/ Moderator
Jun 12, 2002, 9:37 AM
Post #2 of 2
(1985 views)
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Re: [zephyrwind69] News Manager Layout Updates/Delegated Security Request
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Thanks for the suggestions!
You might want to take a look at Article Manager as it actually has a lot (all?) of the features you mentioned as well as a number of others (multiple categories, headline syndication, user definable fields, etc).
Picture layout is always a tricky one. There is no easy way in HTML to say that an image should be aligned "middle-right" within a text block. You have to basically put the image tag in the middle of the block of text, which, if done programmatically can involve a fair bit of guesswork and not always work out as intended. We've handled it in Article Manager by allowing the user to manually enter "image placeholders" to indicate there they'd like the image to start like this: ***image1*** or ***image1:left***, etc. We're always working on ways to make things like this easier and will probably have a even better system with future products.
In any case, thanks for the suggestions, they're all on our "requested features" list for News Manager (and actually a number of other products).
Dave Edis - Senior Developer
interactivetools.com
(This post was edited by Dave on Jun 12, 2002, 9:38 AM)
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